GB,
Tough call on age with no more than we have to go on. Size of bases, spread, and how much mass carries through the main beams can generally be used, but not always. He is light on mass past the G2s and his bases are probably not over 4 inches. This could easily be a 2.5 year-old if nutrition is good and genetics are decent. Could also be 3.5 or 4.5, but not likely. Most 3.5s and older have more roughage at the bases and would likely have more spread unless genetically inferior. Body mass would also be more evident and ear margins not likely still smooth and unblemished. I've seen a couple of 3.5s and 4.5s with less mass than this deer, but many more 2.5s with as much or more mass. He is showing some signs of having kickers, with the one small kicker on the side of the left brow tine. Basic eights like this will often develop kickers or forks when they get older, making nice racks even without being basic tens.
Only on very intensely managed ranches would this be a cull buck unless he did turn out to be 3.5 or more. There is a lot of BS out there about trophy management, genetics, nutrition, etc. One of the biggest myths is that spikes and eight points are inferior genetically. TPWD spent millions and ten years on a big study of penned deer at Kerr WMA where they "proved" that spikes are genetically inferior. Now they don't want to recognize that their research has not been duplicated in wild deer population studies, but rather contradicted by two very extensive studies. By far the most significant factor in antler quality is still AGE, followed by nutrition and genetics. I would estimate that 75% of all bucks would develop nice antlers (140 B&C plus) if allowed to reach age six on good range in a balanced population.
Anyway, this deer seems to be a nice buck to OKTX given his management scenario, and there is nothing wrong with taking him. Trophy antlers need not be the goal of every hunter, but I wanted to give my opinion if that were the case.
